The following is a guest post by Jim Kelly
The healthcare industry is one of the most profitable entities of the US economy. The advent of smartphones as everyday tools has not only merged two vibrantly growing industries, it has provided both patients and providers with a new dimension to medical care. When it comes to applying for a job in the healthcare sector, applicants need to be aware that proficiency with technology, particularly web apps and mobile devices, is becoming a normal job requirement.
During the last few years, trends indicate the healthcare industry in US is improving and jobs are being created after the Obama Care policy of medical insurance. The demand is on the higher side, so that means that even relatively inexperienced graduates have a decent chance of getting a job.
The main context is more centered on the applicant’s ability to work in tough conditions or multitasking skills. And the multitasking part is where mobile devices and web apps are becoming key. Research labs, however, still focus on hiring healthcare professionals with a good research exposure. They would always grill you on your graduate thesis, research aptitude, techniques you’ve learnt and any related innovation ideas that you have in mind.
The newest question that comes up is "how comfortable are you using web software?" And right after that: "how proficient are you with mobile devices?"
Interviews in health care focus a lot on modern day knowledge and recent innovations. Things have changed a lot due to the digitalization of healthcare.
Candidates need to understand this trend and seek proper training beforehand. A viable strategy for candidates to prepare for a healthcare interview is to do an online course from www.sanfordbrown.edu, which offers courses not only in healthcare diagnostics but also technology. Not only does this kind of certification looks good on a resume, it provides a skill set that increases the chances of getting employed.
You also have to differentiate between the myths and mysteries of job interview. You’re not likely to be grilled in a manner for which you would need rote memorization. For example, if you’re applying for work in a diagnostic lab, your employer would not ask you to tell him/her the DNA extraction protocol.
But it is quite likely you will be asked about your familiarity with smartphone apps, as they are changing the healthcare industry more with each passing year.
Here are a few examples of apps developed specifically for healthcare providers:
Medscape--This app was developed by the people who created WebMD, which means it is full of professional medical information. It contains a video-enhanced library of clinical procedures that can be used for educational purposes or help patients understand an upcoming operation.
Epocrates--This is the #1 downloaded medical app because of its usefulness with point-of-care disease information. It also has a pill identification technology that is quite handy. It's available on iTunes and for virtually all mobile platforms.
Mediquations--This is a medical calculator that can differentiate between opiate or steroid equivalences and other important clearance figures. It isn't free, like its rival MedCalc, but it has more functions and can email results directly.
These are just three examples, but they should be illuminating in terms of demonstrating the ability of smartphones and smartphone apps to assist healthcare professionals. There are apps for all fields of the healthcare field, including medical billing and coding, nurse practitioners, diagnostics, database, medical records. The list extends to the hundreds of jobs in the healthcare industry.
If you are preparing to interview for a position in the healthcare field, study up on the role smartphones are playing in the efficacy and efficiency of doctors' offices. Even if you're still in school and are not quite ready for the job market, make a tactical course correction now and learn about mobile technology.
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